Thank you to SJHL RIC Tracy Cook

It all started with the Battleford Barons in 1973 with Cook’s father being the first coach of the club. Tracy was provided the opportunity to be the all-important stick boy. Ten years later, while Tracy was starting as a linesman in the SJHL, there were too many local linesmen and the coach asked if he could help with the team for a while and so behind the bench Tracy went. It was quite a year which saw Tracy coaching a few games as there was a coaching change mid-season.

The next year Tracy received an opportunity and started to referee in the SJHL. During the period of 1987 until the 1996 life had taken Tracy away from the SJHL. From the 1996-97 season until the 2007-08 season Tracy was an active referee. The next year he became a supervisor. In 2009, Tracy took on the position as Referee-in-Chief for the SJHL and has been there through to the 2016-17 season.

Tracy’s health has put him in a position where he must step away from such an active role with the SJHL.

Tracy has been around and involved with the SJHL for 40 plus years and feels very confident that with president Bill Chow and new Referee-in-Chief Brad Howard along with guidance from Rick Schultz and the league’s governors that the SJHL has a very bright future.

Tracy believes there are challenges ahead for the SJHL and if the league continues to grow and adapt while looking ahead with the goal of continuing to be the best junior league in Canada, he is certain that the success will continue.

Tracy is fortunate to have worked with and for so many people over the years in the SJHL and is sure he could fill a book with all the names of the players, coaches, trainers, board members and volunteers he has crossed paths with over the years. Not to mention all the fans across the SJHL.

He is thankful for a lifetime of memories, friends, experiences and lessons learned.

“On behalf of the Saskatchewan Jr Hockey League, as President and working with Tracy for the past six years, there is not another person who showed the highest degree of professionalism for the SJHL, the referees, the coaches and the teams,” explains Bill Chow. “Tracy’s dedication was endless and as president I’m very grateful to have been able to work with Tracy and to call him a friend.”